Participation Guidelines

Participation Guidelines – parents/carers please note: 

Thank you for your booking. Please discuss the following information as listed below with your child: 

For workshop/event participants: 

  • Let your imagination out to play! 
  • Experiment with ideas and techniques to explore your creativity. 
  • Interact respectfully, fairly and safely in the studio space. 
  • Follow the directions of your tutor and take direction from them. 
  • Respect our space, equipment and materials. 
  • Parents and guardians must adhere to the specified age limits for all children’s workshops. These limits are set to ensure the activities are suitable, safe, and enjoyable for all participants. Children who do not meet the required age range will not be able to participate in the workshop. 

 Clean your workspace towards the end of the class, as guided by the tutor. To help us prepare for your participation: 

  • Please ensure children wear smocks or old clothes for clay and painting classes. Wear closed-toed shoes, remove rings and bracelets, and tie long hair back. 
  • Bring a towel for wheel classes.  
  • Please let us know of any allergies or medical conditions of which we should be aware. See more information below regarding our anaphylaxis policy. 
  • Speak to us about any access requirements. 

 

Student behaviour:   

We want everyone to enjoy their time, be creative and feel safe in the class environment. Please discuss the following with your child: 

Your voice is important. Your participation is valued.  

Should you at any time have concerns, feel unsafe or unheard, please speak to your tutor, another tutor or a Council staff member. 

We have clear and confidential channels for you to communicate with trusted adults; and take all children's concerns and contributions seriously. 

You can report confidentially via our reporting process found here: How to Report a Child Safe Concern | Whitehorse City Council; and you may find this video interesting to watch: https://youtu.be/0El08QzTBpI

If your behaviour is unsafe or unfair,  

  1. Your tutor will remind you kindly and clearly what behaviour is expected. 
  2. If it keeps happening, you’ll take a short break in the office with a staff member. If there are no office staff on site, the tutor will call parents or guardians to collect you. 
  3. You can come back to class when you're ready—usually after 10 minutes. 
  4. If the behaviour continues, we’ll call your parent or carer to pick you up. 
  5. If this happens more than twice in a term, you might not be able to keep coming to the class. 

Parent/carers participation 

For children five years of age and under, parent/carers are required to stay and participate alongside their child. We encourage parents and carers to be involved, while giving your child space to make their own creative choices. If your child sees you engaging creatively, it may help them to feel more comfortable and confident. 

For workshops for 6 years and above, parent/carers are generally not required to stay unless requested by BHCAC/Strathdon House Precinct or stated on the event listing.  

Important notes about drop-offs and pick-ups. 

  • Please do not leave your child unsupervised at any time in the Centre.  
  • At class commencement, you will be asked to complete a sign-in sheet for your child. 
  • All children are expected to tidy up at the end of their class. 
  • Please be on time to collect your child. Tutors are unable to look after your child outside of class times. 
  • If you arrive early, please wait outside the classroom.  
  • Please come into the centre to collect your child from the classroom. On departure, you will be asked to complete the sign-out sheet for term classes. 
  • Children will not be allowed to leave the classroom/centre alone without prior written consent.  
  • Should someone other than yourself be collecting your child, we will need prior written consent. 
  • Please ensure that your emergency details are up to date. 

 Photography, filming and audio recording 

For the privacy and creativity of our students, please do not film/ photograph other children and their artwork. We welcome film/photograph of your child’s artwork.  

Artwork: Tutors may request to take photos of artwork from time to time and will request consent first.  You can give or deny consent for your child’s artwork to be recorded through your booking or registration process. If you change your mind, please let one of our team know.  

Promotional purposes: On occasions, your tutor may arrange to have photographs taken in classes for promotion purposes with professional photographers. Should this occur, we invite parents to sign an Audio, Photography and Video Release Form at the start of the class.  

You can give or deny consent for you and/or your child’s image, voice or artwork to be recorded through your booking or registration process. If you change your mind, please let one of our team know. If a parent does not want a photo taken of their child, the photographer is notified of this. 

By consenting to you and/or your child being recorded, you are agreeing to the following Whitehorse City Council terms for photography, filming and audio recording: 

  • You and or your child and or your/their artwork being filmed/photographed and or recorded by Whitehorse City Council. 
  • Whitehorse City Council may use photographs, video images and / or audio recordings of me or my child to promote the Council’s work or highlight Council activities. 
  • Council may use photographs, video images and audio recordings online, such as on the Council’s website and social media and in printed publications, like the Council’s annual report. 
  • Council may use/continue to use the photographs, video images and/or audio recordings for up to 5 years. 
  • Due to the nature of online publications, Whitehorse City Council will not be able to control whether it is copied or redistributed. 

 Please contact Council for further information, to make changes to your consent or withdraw your consent for Council to use your image to the Communications, Advocacy and Investment Team via email cai@whitehorse.vic.gov.au or phone +61 3 9262 6333.  
 
You can also contact the Council’s Freedom of Information & Privacy Specialist Officer on PrivacyOfficer@whitehorse.vic.gov.au

 Medical 

Council requests copies of any asthma/anaphylaxis or other medical plans prior to the class/course commencing to assist us in providing a safe environment for participants.  

Parents/carers of a child with a high-risk medical concern that may require parental intervention (such as anaphylaxis), should consider staying onsite.  

 Privacy Statement 

Please read our privacy statement here: https://www.creativewhitehorse.vic.gov.au/privacy-statement  or refer to Whitehorse City Council's Information Privacy Policy

 Child safety 

  • All tutors are required to hold valid Working with Children Checks.  
  • Your child’s voice is important. Should they at any time have concerns, feel unsafe or unempowered, please speak to their tutor, another tutor or a Council staff member.  
  • We have clear and confidential channels for children to communicate with trusted adults; and take all children’s concerns and contributions seriously. Please have a look at our pages on How to Report a Child Safe Concern | Whitehorse City Council 
  • Please have a look at our dedicated pages on child safety  Child Safety | Whitehorse City Council for more information. 
  • We have a dedicated child safety team, should you wish to discuss further. Please email childsafety@whitehorse.vic.gov.au

 

Conditions of Purchase

Creative Whitehorse is dedicated to offering a safe and enriching environment for all participants, tutors and visitors as they experience and share arts and culture. 

We endeavour to create an environment that is: safe, inclusive, conducive to learning and free from all forms of discrimination, harassment, and bullying. We want our participants to thrive.

We reserve the right to adjust bookings where unexpected technical errors, or overbookings have occurred. Adjustments will be communicated with the customer.

Enrolments are subject to the following conditions. In purchasing to enrol, the patron agrees to abide by these conditions.

Enrolment Information

  • Please enrol at least one week in advance of all programs to avoid disappointment.
  • Courses will be cancelled one week prior if minimum enrolment numbers are not reached.
  • Parents and guardians must adhere to the specified age limits for all children’s workshops. These limits are set to ensure the activities are suitable, safe, and enjoyable for all participants. Children who do not meet the required age range will not be able to participate in the workshop. 

Refunds and Exchanges

  • Refunds will only be considered more than seven days prior to commencement of a course and will be subject to class bookings not dropping below minimum numbers.
  • An administration fee ($15 term/school holidays) per booking applies to all refunds.
  • Refunds will not be given once classes commence. Refunds cannot be issued for individual term classes.
  • No make-up classes are available unless the class is cancelled by the centre due to tutor illness or the like. No administration fee applied to these refunds
  • All adults classes are for 18+ years only.

Ceramic Course Guidelines

If you have enrolled into an Adults Ceramics course, please read our Ceramics Course Guidelines ( PDF 481.18KB) ( PDF 481.18KB) before you start your course. The guidelines contain important class preparation information, including safe work procedures required in our studio. 

Important COVID-19 Information

We have a COVID safe plan in place. 

In line with Government and Health Ministry advice, there have been modifications made with a total focus on the health and safety of our students, staff, hirers, tutors and visitors.

  • Stay at home if you are sick.
  • If you or your child are confirmed with the Covid-19 virus or waiting on the results of a test, please stay at home and do not attend the class or the centre.
  • If you or your child are confirmed of having Covid-19 and have attended the centre within a week prior, please notify office staff.

If you require further information regarding State and Federal guidelines regarding Covid-19, please go to the Victorian Department of Health website.